County Kildare Walking Routes Project - Kildare.ie

County Kildare Walking Routes Project
Comments
1. The route passes through three landscape character areas defined in the County
Development Plans as the Western Bogland, Southern Lowlands and the Chair of
Kildare. It also falls within the “Robertstown Countryside” defined in the 1999 County
Development Plan and still recognised in the current plan as highly important with
respect to the development of the waterways for development purposes. The route is a
combination of canal walks through open country with localised views, smooth terrain
and long distance visibility on the western boglands with low vegetation complimented
with existing hedgerow trees and conifer plantations. Mineral islands within the bog at
Lullymore are quiet oasis with tillage farming and pleasant woodland. The Chair of
Kildare ridgeline is a prominent to the south east with its mythological Hill of Allen
associated with Fionn MacCumhaill and the Fianna.
2. The walk is along canal bank towpaths through bogland in places. Where the canals
passed through the bogs soil was often brought in to build up and strengthen the
banks. This was usually the limestone based soil found in the midlands areas where
bogs have not developed. This soil is alkaline, not acidic and is very rich in lime. The
two types of soil, one calcareous with a very high pH and the other wet with a very low
pH support very different types of vegetation. The different habitats also support
different species of Butterfly and Dragonfly. The canal bank has hedgerows of
wildflowers hawthorn, brambles, wild roses, ash, elder and blackthorn. Between the
hedgerow and waters edge scrub, wetland and different types of grassland have
developed. The species composition varies between sections that are grazed and
sections that are mown. The low level of nutrients in the limestone soils common along
the canals gives rise to a unique composition of wildflowers and grasses.
Meadowsweet and yellow iris are found between the channel and the towpath in
damp, water logged soil. The reed fringe supports a variety of rushes and sedges. A
variety of birds Wren, Song Thrush, Blackbird and Robin are found in the hedgerows
with hedgehog and pygmy Shrew. Otter spraints can be found along the bank. A
variety of butterflies and Moths with dragonflies and Damselflies inhabit the canal bank
habitats. A number of different species of coarse fish inhabit the slow moving water of
the canals. Heron, Grey Wagtail, Mallard, Coot, Swans, Moorhen and the occasional
Kingfisher can be seen along the route. A section of the walk departs from the canal
path and crosses open bogland. On the bog Sphagnum mosses and heathers are
found with insectivorous plants such as sundews, butterworts and bladderworts can be
found. There is a section of boardwalk where pond dipping in the bog pools can
recover a range of water insects and even fish. Curlew, Snipe and Skylark can be
seen. On cutaway sections of the bog scrub has developed and provides a valuable
habitat for birds and mammals. On the mineral islands there is an oasis of tillage and
pastureland with small mixed deciduous and conifer woodland.
3. The circular route links the Grand Canal with the Barrow Navigation and encloses a
pilgrims oasis on an island surrounded by bog. Public transport options in North
Kildare are sparse. The Bus Eireann website gives the most updated schedule of
services to Robertstown, Allenwood, Monasterevin and Rathangan (Numbers 12, 120,
123, 126). Community bus service links were recently introduced. The route links the
rich natural habitats of canal banks and bogland with very the ancient ecclesiastical
settlements associated with Lullymore Island and the modern villages of Robertstown
and Rathangan on the canal.
4. Along the route are several single arch rubble stone hump back bridges over the canal
dated 1796, the typical sixteenth century fortified house at Ballyteige, a wooden